1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fishing fly or nymph.
2. Prior Art
Known fishing flies or nymphs have very buoyant bodies or other parts to assure that the nymphs always remain on the surface of the body of water being fished; or are weighted to assure that they will sink; or are constructed as to remain on the surface until they become waterlogged. There is a problem with all of these types of nymphs in maintaining the nymph "upright", that is, with the shank of its hook substantially horizontal and the barbed end of its hook substantially directly below the nymph body in the optimum position for hooking fish. For example, floating nymphs having very buoyant parts bob unnaturally on the water surface and often twist and turn as they bob so that the barbed end of the nymph hook may be positioned at the side, or even above, the nymph body when a fish strikes, lessening the chance of hooking the fish. The problem of maintaining a nymph upright with it hook extending downward is even greater for a nymph that sink; particularly when such a nymph is retrieved or trolled, there is no assurance that the nymph remains upright.
Palmer U.S. Pat. No. 1,248,390 discloses an "imitation grasshopper" fishing lure including a cork body and feather shafts secured to the cork body to resemble grasshopper wings and legs.
Harvey U.S. Pat. No. 2,501,723 discloses a fishing lure having a body which is formed partly by wood splints secured beneath a hook shank.
Harvey U.S. Pat. No. 2,583,942 discloses a fishing lure resembling a minnow, the body of which is formed by wood splints secured on top of a hook shank and a weight secured beneath the hook shank. The minnow fins preferably are "made of segments of the shafts of turkey feathers cut to the desired size and shape" (column 2, lines 22 to 23).
Means U.S. Pat. No. 1,881,285 discloses a floating fishing lure including a cork body and "wings" projecting laterally outward from the body and formed of "relatively stiff hair" (page 1, lines 74 to 75). As stated at page 1, lines 31 to 36,
"The hair, being hollow, provides buoyancy and my method of treating the hair, as hereinafter described, provides means for controlling the size, shape and appearance of the wings to simulate the various forms of bugs."
No fishing flies or nymphs are known that will remain upright whether on the water surface or below it, or that use porcupine quills secured to the nymph body for flotation.